Ambrose announces money to fight ‘honour’ crimes

VANCOUVER – The federal government will provide $200,000 to a Vancouver immigrant services group for a project aimed at addressing so-called “honour” crimes.

Rona Ambrose, the minister responsible for the status of women, says the money will go to a two-year project that will include reaching out to boys and men to allow them to better understand the issues behind gender violence in ethnic communities.

Ambrose says the project by Vancouver’s MOSAIC group is one of 600 projects the federal government supports across the country with similar goals.

There have been several high-profile cases where women and girls in Canada have been murdered allegedly to protect a family’s honour.

In B.C., an extradition hearing is set to resume next month for the mother and uncle of 25-year-old Jassi Sidhu, allegedly murdered in India because she married against her family’s wishes.

Two years ago, the father and brother of 16-year-old Aqsa Parvez received life sentences for strangling her to death in the family home in Mississauga, Ont., because she rejected traditional behaviour.